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Variety features MAD Solutions’ acquisition of 3 Arab Cannes and Venice films
21 November 2022
Prominent Hollywood media website Variety reported on November 16th that MAD Solutions acquired the distribution rights of three of the front runners from this year's Venice and Cannes International Film Festivals, refreshing the Arab film market with more French productions and co-productions.
According to Variety, these acquisitions pertain to the distribution rights to Fyzal Boulifa's THE DAMNED DON'T CRY, which held its Arab world premiere at the 2022 edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival, and Rachid Hami's FOR MY COUNTRY, which will hold its Arab world premiere at the 2022 Cairo International Film Festival's International Panorama section. Both titles were featured at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.
MAD also acquired Clément Cogitore's SONS OF RAMSES, which held its world premiere at the Critics' Week Strand of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
"We are delighted to have acquired the distribution rights to three artistically distinguished films in 2022, which is considered the climax of our efforts in distributing more than 50 films – whether they are French productions or co-produced with France – in order to accomplish MAD Solutions' goal of creating new markets for Arab films internationally and vice versa," stated Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab – Co-Founders of MAD Solutions.
By acquiring the two movies, MAD Solutions has secured the distribution rights to seven films that featured at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival, including Wissam Charaf's DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS – winner of the Europa Cinemas Label for Best European Film – and NEZOUH by Soudade Kaadan, which won the Armani Beauty Audience Award and Lanterna Magica Award at Orizzonti Extra Competition.
This is in addition to the recently acquired OUR TIES by Roschdy Zem, which premiered at the official competition and will hold its Arab world premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival's International Panorama section this month.
Two of MAD Solutions' feature projects also screened at the Final Cut in Venice, those being INSHALLAH A BOY by Amjad Al-Rasheed, which secured four awards at the workshop, and Karim Bensalah's BLACK LIGHT, which won multiple post-production awards from Laser Film, MAD Solutions, Sub-Ti Ltd, Rai Cinema, and the Red Sea Fund.
MAD Solutions has worked on over 50 Arab-French co-productions and French films, including Erige Sehiri's UNDER THE FIG TREES – which won the EcoProd Jury Award at the 2022 Cannes Directors' Fortnight – Ely Dagher's THE SEA AHEAD, Mehdi Hmili's STREAMS, Leyla Bouzid's A TALE OF LOVE AND DESIRE, Mohamed Ben Attia's DEAR SON, Salah Issaad's SOULA, Narjiss Nejjar's STATELESS, Mats Grorud's animation THE TOWER, and Gaya Jiji's MY FAVORITE FABRIC.
About THE DAMNED DON'T CRY
Fyzal Boulifa – director of THE DAMNED DON'T CRY – is a British-Moroccan filmmaker best known for his acclaimed film LYNN + LUCY.
Boulifa has also helmed prestigious titles like RATE ME, which was selected for the 2015 Directors' Fortnight at Cannes, and THE CRUISE in 2012.
Furthermore, the movie was produced by Karim Debbagh, who previously collaborated with MAD Solutions on the Moroccan film LIFE SUITS ME WELL (2021).
Starring Abdellah El-Hajjouji, Aicha Tebbae, and Antoine Reinartz, THE DAMNED DON'T CRY – Boulifa's second feature film – was nominated for the GdA Directors' Award at the Venice Film Festival.
The film follows Fatima-Zahra and her adolescent son Selim as they move from place to place, forever trying to outrun the latest scandal she's caught up in. When Selim discovers the truth about his past, Fatima-Zahra vows to seek a fresh start.
Arriving in Tangier, they each find new opportunities that promise the legitimacy they crave, but not without threatening their fragile love for one another.
About FOR MY COUNTRY
Rachid Hami – director of FOR MY COUNTRY – is an Algerian filmmaker and actor with well-known titles under his belt, such as Choisir d'aimer (2008) and La Melodie (2017).
Hami's FOR MY COUNTRY was nominated for the Venice Orizzonti award for Best Film.
FOR MY COUNTRY – which was co-written by Ollivier Pourriol – stars a group of award-winning actors, including Lubna Azabal, Hugo Becker, and Shaïn Boumedine.
The film follows the story of Aissa, a young officer of Algerian origin who tragically loses his life during a freshman initiation ritual at the prestigious French military academy of Saint-Cyr.
As the death tears through Aissa's family, controversy arises over his funeral plans when the French Army refuses to take responsibility for the mishap.
So, Ismael – his older rebellious brother – tries to keep the family united as they fight to secure justice for Aissa.
About SONS OF RAMSES
Dubbed in French 'Goutte d'Or,' SONS OF RAMSES was directed by Clément Cogitore – a French director who studied at France's National Studio for Contemporary Arts. In 2015, his debut feature, THE WAKHAN FRONT, was selected for Cannes Critics' Week.
Produced by Jean-Christophe Reymond for Kazak Productions, SONS OF RAMSES is also written by Clément Cogitore along with Thomas Bidegain and Fanny Burdino. The film stars a high-wattage cast that includes Karim Leklou, Jawad Outoui, and Elyes Dkhissi.
SONS OF RAMSES follows Ramses – a skillful clairvoyant in the multicultural Parisian district of La Goutte d'Or.
When a gang of fearless kids starts terrorizing the locals, the balance of his thriving business and of the whole neighborhood is disturbed, until one day, Ramses has a vision.
According to Variety, these acquisitions pertain to the distribution rights to Fyzal Boulifa's THE DAMNED DON'T CRY, which held its Arab world premiere at the 2022 edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival, and Rachid Hami's FOR MY COUNTRY, which will hold its Arab world premiere at the 2022 Cairo International Film Festival's International Panorama section. Both titles were featured at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.
MAD also acquired Clément Cogitore's SONS OF RAMSES, which held its world premiere at the Critics' Week Strand of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
"We are delighted to have acquired the distribution rights to three artistically distinguished films in 2022, which is considered the climax of our efforts in distributing more than 50 films – whether they are French productions or co-produced with France – in order to accomplish MAD Solutions' goal of creating new markets for Arab films internationally and vice versa," stated Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab – Co-Founders of MAD Solutions.
By acquiring the two movies, MAD Solutions has secured the distribution rights to seven films that featured at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival, including Wissam Charaf's DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS – winner of the Europa Cinemas Label for Best European Film – and NEZOUH by Soudade Kaadan, which won the Armani Beauty Audience Award and Lanterna Magica Award at Orizzonti Extra Competition.
This is in addition to the recently acquired OUR TIES by Roschdy Zem, which premiered at the official competition and will hold its Arab world premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival's International Panorama section this month.
Two of MAD Solutions' feature projects also screened at the Final Cut in Venice, those being INSHALLAH A BOY by Amjad Al-Rasheed, which secured four awards at the workshop, and Karim Bensalah's BLACK LIGHT, which won multiple post-production awards from Laser Film, MAD Solutions, Sub-Ti Ltd, Rai Cinema, and the Red Sea Fund.
MAD Solutions has worked on over 50 Arab-French co-productions and French films, including Erige Sehiri's UNDER THE FIG TREES – which won the EcoProd Jury Award at the 2022 Cannes Directors' Fortnight – Ely Dagher's THE SEA AHEAD, Mehdi Hmili's STREAMS, Leyla Bouzid's A TALE OF LOVE AND DESIRE, Mohamed Ben Attia's DEAR SON, Salah Issaad's SOULA, Narjiss Nejjar's STATELESS, Mats Grorud's animation THE TOWER, and Gaya Jiji's MY FAVORITE FABRIC.
About THE DAMNED DON'T CRY
Fyzal Boulifa – director of THE DAMNED DON'T CRY – is a British-Moroccan filmmaker best known for his acclaimed film LYNN + LUCY.
Boulifa has also helmed prestigious titles like RATE ME, which was selected for the 2015 Directors' Fortnight at Cannes, and THE CRUISE in 2012.
Furthermore, the movie was produced by Karim Debbagh, who previously collaborated with MAD Solutions on the Moroccan film LIFE SUITS ME WELL (2021).
Starring Abdellah El-Hajjouji, Aicha Tebbae, and Antoine Reinartz, THE DAMNED DON'T CRY – Boulifa's second feature film – was nominated for the GdA Directors' Award at the Venice Film Festival.
The film follows Fatima-Zahra and her adolescent son Selim as they move from place to place, forever trying to outrun the latest scandal she's caught up in. When Selim discovers the truth about his past, Fatima-Zahra vows to seek a fresh start.
Arriving in Tangier, they each find new opportunities that promise the legitimacy they crave, but not without threatening their fragile love for one another.
About FOR MY COUNTRY
Rachid Hami – director of FOR MY COUNTRY – is an Algerian filmmaker and actor with well-known titles under his belt, such as Choisir d'aimer (2008) and La Melodie (2017).
Hami's FOR MY COUNTRY was nominated for the Venice Orizzonti award for Best Film.
FOR MY COUNTRY – which was co-written by Ollivier Pourriol – stars a group of award-winning actors, including Lubna Azabal, Hugo Becker, and Shaïn Boumedine.
The film follows the story of Aissa, a young officer of Algerian origin who tragically loses his life during a freshman initiation ritual at the prestigious French military academy of Saint-Cyr.
As the death tears through Aissa's family, controversy arises over his funeral plans when the French Army refuses to take responsibility for the mishap.
So, Ismael – his older rebellious brother – tries to keep the family united as they fight to secure justice for Aissa.
About SONS OF RAMSES
Dubbed in French 'Goutte d'Or,' SONS OF RAMSES was directed by Clément Cogitore – a French director who studied at France's National Studio for Contemporary Arts. In 2015, his debut feature, THE WAKHAN FRONT, was selected for Cannes Critics' Week.
Produced by Jean-Christophe Reymond for Kazak Productions, SONS OF RAMSES is also written by Clément Cogitore along with Thomas Bidegain and Fanny Burdino. The film stars a high-wattage cast that includes Karim Leklou, Jawad Outoui, and Elyes Dkhissi.
SONS OF RAMSES follows Ramses – a skillful clairvoyant in the multicultural Parisian district of La Goutte d'Or.
When a gang of fearless kids starts terrorizing the locals, the balance of his thriving business and of the whole neighborhood is disturbed, until one day, Ramses has a vision.
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